Eurobites: Nokia and Eolo claim European first with 5G SA mmWave networkEurobites: Nokia and Eolo claim European first with 5G SA mmWave network

Nokia and fixed wireless access (FWA) specialist Eolo have deployed what they claim is Europe's first 5G standalone mmWave network, in Italy. As well as the usual bits and bobs from its AirScale range, Nokia is also supplying its Shikra mmWave radios which, says the vendor, are suitable for dense urban environments and also able to deliver FWA connectivity of up to 1 Gbit/s to rural or underserved communities where wired infrastructure fears to tread.

Telia is claiming the 5G lead in Norway, its network coverage now approaching 99% of the population four years after it switched on the country's first 5G basestations in the town of Lillestrøm. The operator says that 1.6 million 5G mobile devices are already connected to its Norwegian network. Norway is aiming to become the world's "most digitalized" country by 2030. (See Eurobites: Telia and friends land EU cash for 5G-fueled innovation projects.)

Telecom Italia and Enea are among a group of companies and research organizations launching a shared testing environment for cloud offerings in a project funded by the EU. The object of the 8RA exercise is to promote the interoperability and integration of cloud offerings in Europe; increase investment in edge and cloud technologies; and make it easier for new companies to enter the market.

Telefónica has announced the death of its vice chairman, Javier Echenique. Born in 1951, Echenique enjoyed a high-profile career in banking, rising to become general manager of the BBVA Group.

Elisa Polystar, the analytics arm of Finnish operator Elisa, has appointed Steve Preston as its new CEO, effective January 1, 2025. Preston has been with Elisa Polystar for almost three years, serving as its chief commercial officer. He joined Elisa Polystar from Cardinality; prior to this Preston held senior roles at Norconsult Telematics and Aircom International. Anssi Okkonen, who currently leads Elisa Polystar, will retire in March 2025.

Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, has set out more than 40 safety measures that online platforms will have to introduce from March of next year to comply with the forthcoming Online Safety Act. The Act is primarily designed to protect children from potential online harm. Among other strictures, tech companies will need to make sure their moderation teams are appropriately resourced and trained.

Has the backlash begun? Almost half of Brits think smartphone AI features are overhyped, and four in ten say they don't trust them, according to a new survey from price-comparison service uSwitch. On the other side of the coin, 23% of those asked said that AI tools were useful. Battery life is still far more important than AI-related bells and whistles when considering a smartphone upgrade – 21% considered battery life to be the key consideration, as opposed to just 6% with their hearts set on state-of-the-art AI wizardry. (See Telcos won't find much joy in gen AI as they latch onto the hype.)